Has a trip to the USA been a life long dream of yours? Well, you’re not the only one as the United States of America is one of the most desired destinations to visit in the world. This expansive country is filled with countless cosmopolitan cities, beautiful natural landscapes, and friendly, diverse people from all over the world.

For most people, getting ready for any trip is first securing the time off from work and the funds, but traveling to the US is a bit more involved as the government has pretty serious regulations and processes that must be followed very carefully to gain permission visit. Here is what you should know about traveling to the USA.

Before planning any travel, first apply for an ESTA Visa Waiver

The most important thing you can do for your preparations to travel in the USA is to secure an ESTA visa waiver before arrival if you don’t have a formal visa in order. This is a very available option for many people from many developed countries, especially those that are part of the European Union. In order to get this first step moving, complete your ESTA Application as soon as possible after you have decided to plan a trip to the USA. The ESTA waiver program permits citizens of participating countries to visit the United States for a period of up to 90 days without a formal visa. The ESTA visa waiver process is much less intensive than going through the very involved formal visa process.

You want to make sure you sort out your ESTA visa waiver before booking tickets/hotels to avoid any issues, delays in processing time, pre-trip anxiety, etc. Once the visa waiver is sorted out, you can enjoy planning the trip that you’ve been always dreaming of! Here are some additional tips to help you narrow down your focus and maximize your vacation in the good ole’ US of A!

The USA is very expansive… select your vacation itinerary in one specific region

Most people don’t realize how actually big the US is. While the roads and highways are fantastic and usually very direct (developed before most major cities even were), distances between desired destinations can often be days or more than a week on some certain occasions, i.e. you can’t drive from Miami to Las Vegas a day…

Many people have a tendency and desire to want to visit as many things as possible on a vacation, especially in the USA, but, it’s in your best interest (and your bank account’s) to pick a region and save another for the next visit.

Are you able to travel longer than a couple of weeks? Here’s how to get around easily

A trip to the US might very well be the trip of your life, so maybe you plan to stay a bit longer, like a month or more. Here are some tips to get around cheaply/efficiently.

The US is comprised of over 350,000,000 people. This means that there are PLENTY of major, desirable cities to visit, large airports and lots of airline competition. You will see flights for lower than many places around the world so why not take advantage of reasonably priced flights for long distances?

The United States’ passenger rail system, AMTRAK, is very comfortable and extensive. If you want to see the sights of the homeland, the train is a great option. Just book in advance and you will save a lot of money. The train can be pretty pricey on “whim” ticket purchases.

There you have it! Just a few pieces of advice to make your trip to US one for the memories! Bon Voyage.